Hi Nathan, 0 to 18 months is for Novices, who have only been training or competing for up to the 18 month period, regardsless of style, however, the term BJJ is in reference to the level of a BJJ Player is/are at etc, i.e. white belt, as we are looking to hopefully attract a lot more BJJ Players etc, however, there could be the odd person who may be far more experienced, but still maybe a white belt in BJJ, the UMA can see what you mean with regard to the your concern, so the Post will be edited to reflect this important concern.

Thanks for your help.

Cool. That's what I thought. 0 to 18 months and white belts only for novice. +18 months whatever the grade for advanced.

Make sense as there are the naturally talented and also athletic beasts who have come in to grappling and got blues or purples in less than 18 months.

It's not really for my benefit. Most of my guys who have won grappling events including your won, beating blues and purples along the way, have no grade so are officially "white belts". Maybe I should've kept my mouth shut and sneaked the whole team in to the novice division

Ok, after speaking to others from this and other forums, it is clear that Belts or Grades should not be included in the two Classes; Novice and Advanced, due to the many differents styles who will be competing, i.e. Judo, Sambo, BJJ, Sport Jujitsu, Grappling, MMA etc, as you could possibly get a BJJ, Judo, Sambo or Submission Grappler who may be White Belt/Novice in one style but could be a higher grade or even more experienced in another style that may have also been training at for more than 18 months.

Hi Nathan, 0 to 18 months is for Novices, who have only been training or competing for up to the 18 month period, regardless of style, however, the term BJJ is in reference to the level of a BJJ Player is/are at etc, i.e. white belt, as we are looking to hopefully attract a lot more BJJ Players etc, however, there could be the odd person who may be far more experienced, but still maybe a white belt in BJJ, the UMA can see what you mean with regard to the your concern, so the Post will be edited to reflect this important concern.

Thanks for your help.

Awesome. I agree with Nathan. It's hard for people to put on comps that are BJJ orientated, but also want to appeal to a wider audience and attract traditional Ju-jitsu guys and the old Judo NeWaza boys.

The NeWaza comp the other week was very well organised, so I think this has the potential to be as good, if not better.

I know GB Sheffield are bringing a strong team and we should have 3-5 people from GB Mansfield.

The Sheffield lot near enough swept up last time, so they have set the benchmark.

You will still get the people who reason 'but I've never graded in BJJ, so I'm a white belt!', which is bollocks.

It's a sad sight seeing people who have trained for years enter these novice categories, and take a gold from someone who has genuinely been training for a year(and would have been proud of the medal).

You will still get the people who reason 'but I've never graded in BJJ, so I'm a white belt!', which is bollocks.

It's a sad sight seeing people who have trained for years enter these novice categories, and take a gold from someone who has genuinely been training for a year(and would have been proud of the medal).

The UMA would try they're hardest as so not to allow this to happen, if someone did blag they're way in and was found to be sandbagging/cheating, they WILL be found out regardless and the severest penalty we can issue will be awarded, thats the only award they will win; they will be disqualified immediately, a lifetime ban would be imposed on them, so they would never be allowed to attend ANY of the UMA Events ever again, a photograph of them will be taken and issued to every organisation in the UK warning them of the person/cheat in question etc, also, there are enough people who attend Events such as ours, with the knowledge and contacts to know who may be sandbagging and cheating anyway, and hence we would be informed by them, you won't fool the likes of people who the UMA know that would definately not let them slide by, no names mentioned, but believe me, they are some of the top guys in the UK, who attend ours and other Events in the UK anyway, and lets face it, who would be stupid enough to cheat, as they would be found out immediately anyway, they would also be made to look a laughing stock, and be shown for what they are, a liar, a cheat, a big time loser, and obviously a Dickhead...

A Team of 8 guys from GB Mansfield have so far stepped up and entered both they're own particular Classes and Weight Categories and also the Absolute for the 'With Gi' Open Grappling Championships on Sunday 24th May, hopefully the first of many BJJ Teams and Players who may also step up to represent BJJ at these Championships.